Do It Yourself Spirituality Lacks Accountability

An increasing number of Americans have rejected church attendance in favor of a vague spirituality with few, if any, rules and little accountability. Joel J. Miller, a vice-president at the Christian publisher Thomas Nelson, critiques this trend while finding value in religious traditions and rituals the keep us grounded in our faith.

Rather than getting direction from tradition (including the church calendar, regular periods of fasting and feasting, the discipline of hourly prayer, the counsel of a spiritual father, etc.), the lone Christian is left to work out the faith on their own. It’s liberating on the one hand — no rules! — but it’s also an unmanageable burden, and many buckle under the weight.